Catholic Prayers
Full Latin and English texts for 31 essential Catholic prayers, with history and when the Church prays them. All texts sourced verbatim from vatican.va and usccb.org.
Latin texts from the Vatican Compendium of the Catechism, Appendix A, and the Roman Rite. Traditional English texts are in the public domain.
Essential Prayers
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Our Father (Lord's Prayer) (Pater Noster)
Daily
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Glory Be (Gloria Patri) (Gloria Patri)
Closes each Rosary decade
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Apostles' Creed (Symbolum Apostolorum)
Opens each Rosary
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Nicene Creed (Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed)
Every Sunday Mass and solemnities
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Anima Christi (Soul of Christ) (Soul of Christ)
After receiving Holy Communion
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Act of Contrition (Actus contritionis)
Required during the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
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Act of Faith (Actus fidei)
Part of morning prayer
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Act of Hope (Actus spei)
Morning prayer
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Act of Charity (Act of Love) (Act of Love)
Morning prayer
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Guardian Angel Prayer (Angel of God) (Angel of God)
Morning and night, particularly for children
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Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come, Creator Spirit) (Come Creator Spirit)
Pentecost
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Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit) (Come Holy Spirit)
Pentecost Mass (required sequence)
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Spiritual Communion Prayer (Act of Spiritual Communion)
When unable to receive Holy Communion sacramentally
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Sign of the Cross (Signum Crucis)
Begins and ends every prayer and liturgical action
Marian Prayers
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Hail Mary (Ave Maria)
Ten times per Rosary decade
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Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) (Salve Regina)
Closes each full Rosary
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Memorare (Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary)
Any time, especially in urgent petition
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The Angelus (Angelus Domini)
Three times daily at 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM
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Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven) (Regina Coeli)
Instead of the Angelus from Easter Sunday through Pentecost
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Magnificat (Canticle of Mary) (Canticle of Mary)
Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Liturgy of the Hours, every day
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Sub Tuum Praesidium (Under Your Protection) (Under Your Protection)
Any petition to Mary, especially in danger
Morning Prayers
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Morning Offering (Apostleship of Prayer Morning Offering)
Each morning upon rising, to consecrate the day to God.
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Benedictus (Canticle of Zechariah) (Canticle of Zechariah)
Morning Prayer (Lauds) of the Liturgy of the Hours, every day
Evening Prayers
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Te Deum (Te Deum laudamus)
Office of Readings on Sundays and solemnities
Meal Prayers
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Blessing Before Meals (Grace Before Meals) (Grace Before Meals)
Before every meal.
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Thanksgiving After Meals (Grace After Meals) (Grace After Meals)
After every meal.
Prayers of Petition
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Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel (St. Michael Prayer)
After Mass
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Fatima Prayer (Decade Prayer) (O My Jesus)
Added after the Glory Be at the end of each Rosary decade.
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Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam) (Requiem Aeternam)
For deceased persons: after the Rosary, at funerals, visiting a cemetery, and after the Grace After Meals.
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Peace Prayer of St. Francis (Lord Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace)
Personal meditation
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Litany of the Saints (Litaniae Sanctorum)
Easter Vigil